What Is The Heaviest Oz Leather That A Home Sewing Machine Can Sew?

[leathervan]

I have a New Home which is a pretty common home sewing machine. So what oz is the max on that? But I think what the problem might be is that to use a heavy weight thread won't work. I tried a thick thread and it did something that made the machine not work. The leather that I want to sew is 3mm thick and I can't find my chart to see what oz that is but it is too thick for my New Home to sew. Any home sewing machines that you know of that can sew that thick leather?

[Constabulary]

Which machine do you have? How thick is the thread (size)? What needle size have you tried? Do you sew 1 layer, 2 layers 3 layers...

Here is a chart from Tandy Leather

http://d31snyb1jsf9xb.cloudfront.net/services/image.aspx/media/images-misc/ThicknessConversion.png-600x

Edited May 22, 2014 by Constabulary

[Wizcrafts]

3.2 mm = 8 ounces = 8/64 inches = 1/8 inches

Most domestic sewing machines max out with #B69 (T70) bonded nylon thread and a #18 (110) leather point needle.

Leather that is 8 ounces thick is usually very tough; too tough for most home type sewing machines to handle. So, even though the presser foot may let you clear 1/4 inch of "material," it probably shouldn't be anything harder than Denim jeans or maybe vest leather.

Dense belt and strap leather tends to grab the needle and lift up with the ascending needle and thread. This causes skipped stitches and possibly broken needles and other parts. You will probably knock the timing out after the leather lifts with the needle a few times.

In my own experience, using several different ancient Singer cast iron body home machines, an 8 ounce belt, sewn with #69 bonded thread, using a #18 leather point needle, was the practical limit. To even do that I have to crank down the presser foot pressure spring screw on top. This kept the leather from lifting with the needle, but reduced the length of the stitches to an almost useless distance of about 8 or 9 per inch. Changing the presser foot to a Teflon foot helped reduce drag and allowed slightly longer stitches. Forgetting to keep the Teflon foot raised when the material is out of the machine ruins it by pressing the feed dog teeth into it.

If your New Home is a Janome plastic body, multi-stitch machine, I have one of those also. It is only made to sew light cloth; maybe denim. You will break the machine if you sew leather on it.

Edited May 22, 2014 by Wizcrafts

[Anne Bonnys Locker]

Older cast iron straight stitchers with a vertical bobbin can usually handle #92 and even #138 on top but will suffer heavy wear.

While not ideal for leatherwork I believe that they are a great tool for learning the basics of sewing

[glennaycock]

I would not even attempt this on modern, all-plastic sewing machines. I used to sew 2-4 layers of 2-3 oz upholstery leather with an old Singer 301 (before I bought my Consew 206RB-5), but it has metal gears. You are likely to break it.

[Handstitched]

G'day ,

I have an old Pfaff 60, and although it was originally a domestic machine, I have sewn up to 2.5 mm veg tan ( albeit slowly) .

I use a Guterman upholstery thread, that goes through the machine quite nicely, with a leather point needle.

I mainly use it for wallets, thin leathers and anything requiring a soft leather, or upholstery type leather etc.

Not sure if I'd put my faith in one of those plastic machines though .

HS